


Nightmares Don't Discriminate

by orphan_account



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Hurt Peter Parker, Light Angst, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is a Mess, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Sad with a Happy Ending, Survivor Guilt, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:35:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25922947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: “Boss? It appears that Peter Parker is in distress.” Tony froze, FRIDAY could say exactly four words and he was already spiraling.- - - - -aka peter has a nightmare cause the world doesn’t have enough of this trope
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 3
Kudos: 115





	Nightmares Don't Discriminate

The clock read 3:21 am but Tony Stark’s Lab was up and running. The lights were on and ACDC was still blasting through the speakers. Tony Stark was sitting on a stool, messing around with Spider-Man’s Webshooter. He promised Peter they would work on them tomorrow, after the kid got some sleep. Peter had protested but reluctantly went to his room just after midnight. Tony had intended to follow him. He really had, but one thing led to another and three hours passed. As he reached toward a screwdriver his music cut off.

“Boss? It appears that Peter Parker is in distress.” Tony froze, FRIDAY could say exactly four words and he was already spiraling. He must have zoned out or something because FRIDAY repeated her earlier statement. “Boss, Peter Parker is in distress he is most likely in need of help.” Tony finally stood up for the stool and quickly walked to the Lab doors. His footsteps were increasing in speed with every foot fall. His head was spinning different scenarios running through his head. Peter bleeding out, Peter shot, Peter passed out, Peter dying. Tony could almost see his body splayed out on the floor. Peter’s body unnaturally still and his eyes no longer seeing anything. He reached the elevator and quickly pressed the button for his floor.

“FRIDAY, what is wrong with Peter?” Tony’s breathing quickened with every fleeting moment that FRIDAY didn’t answer him. 

“Mr. Parker is experiencing a nightmare.” The relief after hearing those words was instant. His shoulders lost the tension Tony didn’t even know they had. His hands slowly began to stop shaking and his breathing evened out. The peace of knowing Peter was physically okay only lasted a few more moments. Then his brain went into panic again. Peter was having a nightmare, and clearly it was a bad one. Peter had only come for the night a few times. He never had any nightmares then. So what has changed since two weeks ago? 

Tony remembered one morning after Peter stayed with him. He had entered the kitchen sluggishly and kept yawning. He had dark circles underneath his eyes, Tony commented something about not getting enough sleep. The kid had shrugged it off and said he had a few bad nights on patrol. Tony had fell for it. He fell for the stupidest lie, and now Peter was having a nightmare. Who knows how many he has had before. Who knows how many times he’s had to deal with them alone. If May had known she would have told Tony. Anything about Peter’s health, physical or emotional May told Tony. 

Two overprotective people in Peter’s life and neither of them knew. Tony was so lost in his thoughts, he didn’t feel the slight jolt of the elevator. He snapped back to attention when the doors finally opened and he stumbled outside. He raced past the kitchen and down the hallway. He reached Peter’s door and for a single moment hesitated. Peter probably didn’t want Tony to see him like this. Or anyone which was why he didn’t tell. Did Tony even have the right to enter the room? The moment ended and Tony turned the door knob. Once inside the room he blindly walked to the general direction of Peter’s bed. The room was pitch black, but Tony could hear the rustling of sheets. Someone tossing back and forth between them.

“No stop, please stop.” Peter’s voice was so quiet Tony almost missed it. His heart clenched at the words. As his legs bumped into the edge of the bed Tony flicked on the bedside lamp. Once he saw clearly Tony wished he hadn’t. Peter’s face was grimacing in pain and his hands were tightly gripping the sheets. His head kept shifting back and forth restlessly. He was sweating profusely leaving the bed damp. He was crying, tears slowly running down his cheeks. His legs were kicking, but it almost looked like he was restrained. Somehow stopping himself from fully moving. To be completely moving and kicking. “Help! Somebody please! Let me out!” 

Tony stopped gawking to sit next to Peter. He gently reached his hand to brush his cheek. The moment his hand made contact Peter flinched away. If Tony’s heart hadn’t broken already it was now. “Pete? Come on kiddo you gotta wake up.” Tony’s voice cracked halfway through his sentence. “Underoos? Get up kiddo!” He shook Peter’s shoulders a few times to no avail. Peter remained locked inside his nightmare. Tony increased his efforts, his voice raising to a shout. “Peter! Wake up!” For a few pitiful seconds nothing happened. Then Peter shot upwards, almost knocking Tony’s head. 

He was shaking like a leaf and didn’t even register that Tony was there. Tony put his hand on his knee, Peter frantically scrambled away. “S-st-tay ba-a-ck.” His eyes were glassy, clearly not seeing anything clearly.

“Peter? Peter it's me, it's Tony.” Peter's eyes danced across Tony’s face. Tony waited until they finally flashed with recognition.

“Mr. Stark?” His voice was so small, he sounded so scared. Peter’s eyes still didn't meet his own, they frantically darted across the room. One minute they were on Tony and the next he was looking at the wall and they would move again. It reminded Tony of an animal, a very scared animal.

“Yeah it's me kiddo. Can, can I touch you?” Peter slowly, hesitantly nodded his head. Tony shifted closer to him before pulling Peter into his body. Peter was sitting upright, his knees pulled against his chest. Tony wrapped his arms around Peter’s body. They sat like that for a short time. Tony slowly leaned the two of them back against the headboard. Peter was still as stiff and tense. He didn’t move or adjust in anyway. 

Tony raised his hand and began combing it through his curls. He waited for Peter’s sobs to slowly die down. For Peter to finally stop shaking, it took awhile but it finally happened. Peter made an attempt to get up and leave Tony’s embrace. Tony only tightened his hold refusing to let Peter move. Peter hid his face in Tony’s shirt and finally wrapped his arms around him.

“I’m, I-I’m sorry.” His voice was muffled against Tony’s shirt but he still heard it loud and clear. Damn, somehow this kid could make his heart break ten times in half an hour.

“Stop. Don’t you dare say your sorry. It is okay, Pete. You don’t have to be sorry.” Peter just nodded his head, Tony could feel his shirt starting to dampen from the tears. He lifted Peter's face and wiped his tears away. “Talk to me, what was the dream about?” Peter tried to drop his head but Tony kept it up. Peter’s eyes finally met his. They stared at each other for a while before Peter shook his head. Then he buried his face back into Tony’s shirt. “Peter, come on. Trust me things get better if you talk about them.” Peter made no move to talk so Tony just started putting his hands through his curls again. They stayed like that, Peter tucked against Tony’s side softly crying and Tony’s hands running through Peter’s hair for some time. 

“Wanna know a secret?” Peter didn’t reply to Tony’s question but he continued anyway. “I get nightmares, so do all the Avengers pretty much. Just because we are heroes doesn’t mean we don’t have a messed up head.” Peter lifted his head and looked at Tony curiously.

“You, you had nightmares?” 

“I have nightmares Pete. Still do every now and again. You know what makes it better?” Tony let out a long sigh. “Pepper does, Pepper makes it better. She is there when I need her and she comforts me. She always is there to talk to me, but more importantly to listen. I know right now the last thing you want to do is tell me what happened. But Peter, it will help I promise you.” Peter slowly took a deep breath before nodding his head.

“Okay.” Tony waited patiently for Peter to begin. “It is usually always the same. I’m stuck there, and this time I don’t get out. This time I can’t and I am left there to die.” Tony froze; he had no idea what Peter was talking about.

“Stuck where Peter?”

“Under that building.” His voice was soft and crackly. “Toomes, hem uh, dropped it on me. So that I wouldn’t stop him, but I got out.” Tony’s blood ran cold, of course this was about Toomes. Tony had foolishly taken the suit. Now it had been months since then but Peter was still scarred. The one thing that Tony had wanted was for Peter not to be like him. That was why he got the suit, and the protocols. So Tony could make sure, as crappy as the world was it wouldn’t get to Peter. It didn’t work, and here he was. Crying at three in the morning in Tony’s arms. 

“I’m always stuck under the building.” Tony brings Peter impossibly closer to him. “Wh-when I’m down there. You come. You, Ned, MJ, May, my parents and him.” Peter breaks into sob and more tears fall down his cheeks. “Ben is there Tony. You are all watching me die. You don’t help me, you all tell me how I screwed up. It's all my fault. All of it, Toomes, the ferry, Coney Island, my parents and Ben. Everything is my fault.” Peter’s voice was racked with sobs. Tony felt the guilt through his veins. Peter had felt this way for months, and he never helped him. Peter was struggling and it was all his fault.

“No, that isn’t true Peter. None of that was your fault. Do you hear me?” Tony waited until Peter nodded his head. “None of what happened was your fault. And do you want to know something. Everyone is so proud of you kid. You are a hero, even when you aren’t Spider-Man. You save lives with and without the mask and I am proud of you. May is proud of you. And your parents? I bet right now they are looking down on you. On Peter Parker and are so proud of who their son is. On the amazing hero you have become. And Ben is proud of you. They don’t blame you Peter. They all love you Peter, and none of it was your fault, okay?” This time Peter nods slightly more confident. Tony smiled softly and wiped away Peter’s tears again. 

They stay like that for hours, Peter tucked close to Tony. When Peter finally drifts off it is a peaceful sleep. Tony looks at the sleeping kid. This stuipid sleeping kid who made his way into his life. The kid he loves, more than almost anything. Right now things aren’t perfect, but with Peter sleeping at his side and sun rising over the New York skyline. Things feel pretty perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> just giving this a try. lmk what u think in the comments!


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